Photo: the first poster from the Documentary Exhibition "UAIC - A place for Women in Science" (23 June-11 July 2014). (Source: Archive of the UAIC-STAGES Project).

The STAGES project at the UAIC

The European Project STAGES (Structural Transformation to Achieve Gender Equality in Science) is co-funded by the European Commission within the 7th Framework Programme for Research and Technology Development, Work Programme FP7-SCIENCE-IN-SOCIETY-2011-1.

The data for the call identifier are the following:

• WORK PROGRAMME: 2011CAPACITIES, PART 5 SCIENCE IN SOCIETY
• ACTION LINE 2: Strengthening potential, broadening horizons
• ACTIVITY 5.2.1 Gender and Research
• Area 5.2.1.1. Strengthening the role of women in scientific research and scientific decision-making bodies
• Topic SiS.2011.2.1.1-1 Implementing structural change in research organisations/universities

In regard to the specificity of STAGES project we should mention that the new topic Implementing structural change in research organisations/universities was established and launched in 2010 based on a reorientation of the main strategic approach concerning the promotion of gender equality in science, that is the constant aim of the specific programme Gender and Research.

The rationale of the Gender and Research policy programme started from the evidence-based consideration that research performance is limited by the perpetuation of direct and indirect sex discrimination and that promoting gender equality at all levels contributes to achieving scientific excellence and organizational efficiency. Consequently, initiatives to promote gender equality in research through actions aiming to empower women's contribution and to improve their representation in science have been developed in Europe, similar with other scientific areas across the world, since two decades ago. However, those measures, mainly focused on women only (i.e. "fixing the women" approach) have proved to be insufficient to increase the number of women in science, particularly in positions of responsibility, and have not helped to address the structural barriers contributing to the well-known "leaky pipeline" and "glass ceiling" phenomena. This situation has led to a shift in focus towards addressing the structural transformation of institutions in order to foster gender equality in science, by using a systemic, comprehensive and sustainable "fixing the institutions" approach (EC, 2012, Structural change in research institutions: enhancing excellence, gender equality and efficiency in research and innovation).

Describing this change in strategic orientation, the 2011 Call for projects applications underlines that while in FP6 Work Programme actions on gender equality "were mainly focused on women scientists and how their role and image could be strengthened", in FP7 the European Commission "introduced a change in focus from women scientists to the institutions that employ them, to encourage them to change their working environment and culture to better support gender diversity". The strategy of pursuing "structural change" in universities and research organizations, that was formally defined and practically launched in 2010, is further complemented through the request for "supporting cooperation between research organization/universities centered on common actions to implement the best systemic organizational approaches to increasing the participation and career advancement of women researchers".

The change in focus from "Fixing the women" to "Fixing the institutions" requires a new type of projects whose main aim is to promote organisational transformation in order to redress gender inequality in science. According to the call conditions, the practical activities conducing to real and longer-lasting structural change have to be initially designed in multi-annual Action Plans self-tailored by teams from inside the academic and research organisations according to "their specific challenges and problems", and then implemented with the active participation of the beneficiaries and the direct support of the all-levels management. At the same time, the processes of organisational transformation should be closely and permanently accompanied by research and evaluation.

The project STAGES (Structural Transformation to Achieve Gender Equality in Science) that is implemented at the "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" University of Iasi (UAIC) on the period 1st January 2012- 31st December 2015 belongs to this new category of strategic projects launched by the EC-DG Research and Innovation.

UAIC is the first university in Romania that benefits from the new type of project.

The other partner organisations in the consortium of the STAGES project are:

• Department for Equal Opportunities, Presidency of the Italian Council of Ministers (Coordinator)
• University of Milan, Italy
• Fraunhofer Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V., Germany
• Aarhus University, Denmark
• Radboud University Nijmegen, Netherlands
• ASDO, Italy.